This is an open letter written by Zvi Hirsh Masliansky in the American Yiddish Die Yidishe Velt . The letter, written in Hebrew, was printed on May 3, 1903 and appeals to American readers to donate funds to the survivors of the Kishinev pogrom. The letter is divided into two parts. In the first part the author describes the horrors of the pogrom that were worse than anything that the Jewish people had suffered even in the Middle Ages. The style of these graphic descriptions is derived from the traditional biblical style of describing catastrophes such as the destruction of the Temple. The letter even includes many quotes from the Book of Eichah (the Book of Lamentations) of liturgical poems recited on Tisha B’Av (the fast day commemorating the destruction of the Temple) and of other poems written after the Cossack pogroms of the seventeenth century. The second part of the letter describes the situation of the Jews of America who enjoy freedom, safety, and equality. The author compares the situation of the American Jews to that of the Jews of Kishinev. He reminds the reader that they have found shelter under the flag of the Stars and Stripes and even uses phrases that are influenced by the American Bill of Rights.
The Kishinev pogrom took place April 6–9, 1903. Encouraged by the Tzar and after a long period in which the Russian press incited the public against the Jews, violent murderous pogroms broke out against the Jews of Kishinev. During the three days of the pogrom 49 Jews were murdered and 500 were wounded; thousands of Jews were tortured and became destitute following the looting of their belongings. Many horrific testimonies to the pogroms appeared in the Jewish press of this period, together with appeals to support the survivors, such as this one. The reactions of Jewish communities around the world were varied. In many countries there were public protests, and in Eastern Europe young Jewish people began to organise self-defense groups. As a result of these tragic events, many Eastern European Jews immigrated, mostly to western countries and some to Israel. The writer of this letter, Zvi Hirsch Masaliansky, immigrated to the United States from Minsk in 1895 and was well known for his Zionist speeches.
Would You Like to Know More?
Kishinev Pogrom – The Kishinev pogrom was an anti-Jewish riot that took place in Kishinev (now Moldova but at the time the capital of Bessarabia and part of the Russian Empire) April 6–9, 1903. At that time, the most popular local newspaper had been printing anti-Semitic articles on a regular basis, and when two non-Jewish children died, their death had been declared a ritual murder by the Jews for the purpose of baking matzah. During the pogrom, which began on the day of Easter, 49 Jews were murdered, many others were injured or raped, and 1,500 homes were damaged. The Kishinev pogrom caught the attention of the world, and following the coverage of the atrocities, there were protests by governments and the general public the world over. Following the pogrom, tens of thousands of Russian Jews immigrated to the West or to Israel. American Jews organised financial help for the survivors. The pogrom inspired Russian Jews to set up self-defence organisations and boosted Zionist activities in the Russian Empire and around the world.
Zvi Hirsch Masliansky – Zvi Hirsch Masliansky was a famous Yiddish orator and Zionist leader. He was born in Belorussia (White Russia) and, following the pogroms of the end of the nineteenth century, he joined the Zionist movement. He became renowned as a passionate speaker but was forced to leave Belorussia in 1894 because of his views. After a lecture tour in central and western Europe, he emigrated to the United States. In the United States, Masliansky was very active in the Zionist organisations and had a great influence on the Yiddish-speaking immigrants. He founded and co-edited the Yiddish language American newspaper Die Yidishe Velt and published his Yiddish sermons and lectures and memoirs.
Jewish Community of Kishinev – Jews first arrived in Kishinev at the beginning of the eighteenth century. The community grew and synagogues, a cemetery, schools, welfare organisations ,and a Jewish hospital were established. As an important commercial and industrial city, many Jews arrived in Kishinev from other regions in Eastern Europe, and by the end of the nineteenth century, more than 50,000 Jews lived in the city, comprising almost half of the total population. Jews owned many industries in the city and were also dominant in trade. Kishinev became an important Jewish cultural centre and Jewish newspapers and books were printed in Hebrew and Yiddish. Two major pogroms took place in Kishinev – in April 1903 and October 1905 –resulting in many deaths, injuries, and damage to Jewish homes and institutions. These pogroms led to protests by Jews and non-Jews in Europe and the United States. Bialik’s famous poem “In the City of Slaughter” was written about Kishinev. As a result of the pogrom, many of Kishinev’s Jews left the city. After World War I, the community grew again with the settlement of many refugees from Ukraine. Religious and secular institutions were founded and, for a short period, the chief rabbi of the city was also the mayor. During the following years, Kishinev was ruled by different countries, but the anti-Semitism did not abate. In July 1941, Kishinev was occupied by German and Romanian soldiers and the Jews were sent to a ghetto. Many were killed over the following months, and from October that year Jews were deported to camps. At least 53,000 Jews from Kishinev were murdered during the Holocaust. Very few Jews returned to the city after the war, and those who did return suffered from Soviet persecution. Most of Kishinev’s Jewish population emigrated, mostly to Israel. From the 1980s attempts were made to rebuild Jewish life in the city, and synagogues, Jewish schools, and organisations have been established.
Jewish Immigration to America – Large numbers of German Jews immigrated to America between 1840 and 1914. By the outbreak of World War I, 250,000 Jews had arrived in America because of persecution, restrictive laws, and economic insecurity in Germany and Eastern Europe. By 1924, over two million Jews from Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Romania had come to America in order to escape persecution and pogroms and improve their economic situation. Large-scale immigration ended in 1924 with the implementation of restrictive immigration quotas.
